Robert F. Kennedy Jr. files complaint over rules for next month’s CNN presidential debate

PHOENIX — Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. filed an election complaint Wednesday alleging that CNN is conspiring with Democratic President Joe Biden and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump to exclude him from a debate the network will hold on next month.

Kennedy claims that the requirements for participating in the June 27 debate were designed to ensure that only Biden and Trump would qualify and Kennedy claims he is being held to a higher standard.

“CNN is making prohibited corporate contributions to both campaigns and the Biden committee and the Trump committee have accepted these prohibited corporate contributions,” wrote a Kennedy lawyer, Lorenzo Holloway, in a letter to the Federal Election Commission.

CNN said the complaint was without merit.

Biden and Trump agreed this month to the CNN debate and a second one on Sept. 10 hosted by ABC, bypassing the nonpartisan commission that has organized debates for nearly four decades. The first debate will take place before Biden and Trump are formally nominated by their parties this summer.

Kennedy looked at the debates as a unique opportunity to stand alongside Biden and Trump, lending legitimacy to his long shot and convincing people inclined to support him that he has a chance of winning. Both the Biden and Trump campaigns fear he could be a spoiler.

Kennedy still has time to meet the requirements, although the window is shrinking.

CNN said candidates will be invited if they have secured a place on the ballot in states that total at least 270 Electoral College votes, the minimum needed to win the presidency, and have reached 15% in four credible polls by June 20 .

Kennedy’s campaign says he submitted signatures or other documents to appear on the ballot in nine states – California, Delaware, Hawaii, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah – with a combined total of 171 electoral votes, although not everyone has succeeded. he stated that his name will be listed. California, the biggest prize on the electoral map with 54 votes, will not certify any candidate until August 29th.

“The law in virtually every state provides that the candidate of a state-recognized political party will have access to the ballot box without a petition,” a CNN spokesperson said in a statement Wednesday. “As the presumptive nominees of their parties, both Biden and Trump will meet this requirement. As an independent candidate, in accordance with applicable laws, RFK Jr. Merely requesting access to the polls does not guarantee that he will appear on the ballot in any state.”

Kennedy also did not meet the search criteria, the statement said.

Biden and Trump easily surpassed the voting threshold, but will not be certified for the vote until their parties formally nominate them. Both secured enough delegates to secure their nominations.